Supporting device



` Jan. 26, 1943.

SUPPORTING DEVICE-l Filed April 13, 1942 f l UWE/WOR.l Pur-H BERGER ATTORNEY R. BERGER Y 2,309,297

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING DEVICE Ruth Berger, San Francisco, Calif. Application April 1s, 194.2,.seria1N0. 438,729 zciaims. (c1. 24-2o0) This invention relates to improvements in supporting belts for sanitary pads, garments or the like.

lAn object of my invention is to provide an improved belt for sanitary pads, garments or the like, embodying a construction wherein there is a total absence of metal and elastic material.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved belt of the kind characterized, having novel adjusting means by which its length may be readily increased or decreased while in an operative position extending around the waist of a wearer.

A further object of my invention is to provide a belt of the kind described, which, by reason of its novel construction and arrangement of parts, will maintain its normal position on the body of the wearer and thereby continuously support a sanitary pad in a manner which is both comfortable and proper.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved pad supporting belt made entirely from non-metallic and non-elastic material, and having an adjustable band which, after being once applied in its proper position around a wearers waist, will not become loosened except by the pulling in a certain direction upon a certain part thereof.

With these and other objects in view, my invention comprises certain novel features of construction which will be more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved supporting belt;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of a part of the belt, showing the releasable means by which the belt may be shortened or lengthened; and

Fig. 3 is a view showing a part of the front strip.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I desig nates a fairly narrow strip made from cloth or other suitable material which in ordinary practice is in the form of a band adapted to extend partly around the waist of a wearer. The strip I is preferably made from a fairly wide strip of cloth which is longitudinally folded to provide two thicknesses which are stitched together in the usual manner. The opposite ends of the strip are slightly narrower than that part of the strip normally extending around the back portion of the wearers waist. The front part of the band comprises a strip 2 made of similar material, having near its opposite ends outwardly protruding transverse members 3 which are fairly stiff. 'I'he members 3 are each made, preferably, by rst forming a short fold, placing a stiiening strip, if desired, between the layers of the fold, and then sewing them together. At opposite sides of each of the protruding members 3 there is provided transversely disposed slitted openings '4 and 5 which are shapedV as buttonholes and are substantially parallel to their associated protruding member 3. The strip 2 at points spaced from each of the inner slitted open'- ings 4 is'provided with transverse openings 6. The end portions 'I of the strip 2 provide tabs which may ybe held by the fingers when the belt is unloosened and enlarged, as will be presently described.

The narrowed ends of the strip I are provided with crocheted or other suitably made loops 8 which slidably extend around the said strip. The narrowed end portions of the strip I each extend first through the opening 6, then outwardly through the slitted opening 5, then across the protruding member 3, then inwardly through the other slitted opening 4, then again through the opening 6, and then rearwardly alongside the forwardly disposed part of said strip I.

It will `be noted that when there is a pull in opposite directions upon the waist-engaging part of the strip I and the strip 2, the protruding member 3 is firmly engaged by that part of the strip I extending over it. The material of the strip 2 directly beneath the protruding member 3 will be pulled into frictional engagement with that part of the strip I which extends inwardly through the slitted opening 4, thereby preventing the rearwardly disposed end part of the strip I from sliding through the said openings. By pulling in opposite directions on the tab 'I and the waist-engaging part of the strip I, the protruding member 3 is allowed to move outwardly so there is no appreciable pressure upon that part of the strip I which extends inwardly through the slitted opening 4. A continued pull will cause the strip I to freely slide through the openings 4, 5 and 6 so as to enlarge the band. By pulling in opposite directions on the tab 'I and the looped end 8 of the strip I, the band can be made smaller.

As an example, showing how the belt may be used as a support for sanitary pads, I sew to the front strip 2 and also to that part of strip l located directly behind the same two pairs of depending angularly disposed members 9, each pair having their lower converging ends secured to a tab I0 which is provided with a slitted openv Il in the tabs l0 and suitably tied as at I4 to the latter.

It is to be understood that any other suitable structure, such as single depending strips of material, may be secured to the belt for the purpose of supporting the sanitary pad. It is also to be understood that the belt comprising my invention may be used to support various types of 'garments such as stockings, socks, pants, underwear and the like.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1. In a supporting device, an adjustable band adapted to extend around the body or a limbof a wearer having end portions adjustably attached together, one of the end portions having a tab on its extreme end, and a substantially rigidV member and three spaced openings inlongitudinal alignment near the tab, the iirst of said openings being adjacent to and at one side of the rigid member and nearest the tab, the second of said openings being at the opposite side of and adjacent the rigid member, and the third of the openings being located nearest the second of said openings, the other of said end portions, slidably extending rstly through the third opening, then through thel second opening, then across and in engagement with the rigid member, and lastly being looped and again extending through the third opening.

2. In a supporting device, an adjustable band adapted to extend around the body or limb of a wearer having end portions adjustably attached together, one of the end portions having a tab at its extreme end and a plurality of spaced openings arranged near the tab, and the other of the end portions being looped and threaded through the openings, the said end portions when pulled in opposite directions causing frictional binding engagement between the end portion and Y the side edges of the openings through which it is threaded, and when the tab and its connected end portion are pulled in opposite directions the said binding engagement is released and the said end portions are free to slide relatively to each other.

RUTH BERGER. 

